Linemen&#39;s tool bucket



Oct. 16, 1962 T. A. PATTERSON, JR 3,058,507

LINEMEN'S TOOL BUCKET Filed Sept. 8, 1960 u T m INVEN TOR. THOMAS A. PATTERSON Jr.'

ATTORNEY finite states arent 3,058,507 LlNEMENS TOOL BUCKET Thomas A. Patterson, Jr., Levittown, NJ., assignor t Industrial Products Company, Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Sept. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 54,659 8 Claims. (Cl. 150-50) This invention relates generally to receptacles and methods of manufacturing the same, and is especially concerned with receptacles of the bucket type.

While the device and method of the present invention have been primarily developed and employed for use in the construction and manufacture of tool buckets for linemen, and the like, and will be illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference thereto, it is understood that the instant invention is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

As is well-known to those versed in the art, linernens tool buckets are subjected to considerable rough usage, in all kinds of weather, and therefore require not only extremely high durability, but should be nonconductive under all conditions. In lthe past, linemens tool buckets have conventionally lbeen formed of canvas and leather stitched together. While satisfactory in general, this construction is subject to becoming saturated with water, as when exposed during rain, which makes the bucket rather highly conductive and a potential safety hazard. Further, the stitching in manufacture often produces incipient cuts in the leather and canvas which increase rapidly during use, so as to quickly require repair or discard. Also, the thread employed in the sewing operation is necessarily a relatively weak part of the entire construction, being subject to relatively rapid deterioration.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide a unique and highly improved receptacle of the type described which fully overcomes the abovementioned diiculties, in entirely nonconductive, even when wet, and entirely eliminates the need for stitching or thread in its assembly. More particularly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a receptacle construction which is completely nonabsorbent, and wherein water does not adhere, but quickly beads and rolls oif.

The instant receptacle and method of manufacture provide a construction wherein the elements thereof are adhesively secured together, as by cement, radiofrequency or heat welding to completely eliminate the use of thread and concomitant stitching operations.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a receptacle having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs which is adapted to be fabricated of plastic for easy cleaning by mere wiping off, a high degree `of visibility for greater safety as by use of luminescent plastics, and which is considerably lighter in weight than prior receptacles.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide a linemens bucket for tools and the like which is readily collapsible to occupy a lminimum of space in storage and shipment.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the yfollowing specification and referring to the accompany drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

in the drawings:

FIGURE l is a top perspective view showing a linemens tool bucket constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l; and

'FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the elements of the tool bucket of FIGURES l and 2, and the manner of manufacture.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the tool bucket is generally designated 10, and includes a generally cylindrical tube, tubular body or sleeve 11, which is advantageously fabricated of flexible sheet material. The tube 11 may be formed of liquid-impervious, nonconductive plastic sheeting, or of plastic-coated fabric, such as canvas, lor other suitable flexible sheet material. As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, the flexible sheet material of tube 11 may be formed from a generally rectangular blank :and bent into cylindrical configuration having `one pair of `opposed edges inter-folded to dene a `seam 12 longitudinally coextensive with the tubular body. The seam 12 may be secured together by suitable cement, or adhesively secured by forming a plastic weld, or the like.

At its lower region, the tube l11 is closed by a bottom wall, generally designated 14. The upper end of the tube 11 is open and reinforced by an annular reinforcement 15 extending circumferentially about the upper end of the tube.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the lower-end reg-ion 16 of the body 11 is bent inward to at least partially close the tube. The inwardly bent lower tube region 16 may be provided with a plurality of through holes or apertures 17; and, there may remain a central opening 18.

The bottom wall 14 may be composed of a pair of substantially identical cup elements 19 and 20 advantageously fabricated of plastic, such as polyvinyl or other suitably durable, liquiddmpervious, nonconductive plastic material. The cup 19 includes a generally flat bottom wall 21, and a side `wall Z2 upstanding from the bottom wall circumferentially thereabout, extending upward and outward to flare in the direction away from the bottom wall. Similarly, the cup 20 includes a generally flat, substantially circular bottom wall 23 and an obliquely upwardly and outwardly extending circumferential wall 24 on the bottom wall.

`One cup 19 is arranged interiorly within the tube 11 in the lower-end region thereof and facing upward into the tube, while the other cup 20 is arranged exteriorly of the tube on the lower end of the latter and facing upward to receive the inturned lower tube end region 16 and the interio-r cupI 19. Thus, as seen in FIGURE 2, the cup-s 19 and 20 are in nested relation at the lower end of the tube 11 and facing upward into the tube, with the lowerend tube region 16 extending into the cupped bottom wall 14 circumferentially about the rim thereof as delined by the circumferential walls 22 and 24 of the cups 19 and Z0, In this condition, the cups 19 and 20 are secured to the interposed lower-end region 16 of the tube 11, and are also secured to each other as through the apertures 17 and central opening 18. This securement of the cups 19 and 20- may be effected by a suitable cement or welding, o-r other suitable means. Obviously, the bottom wall 14 thus provides a strong, watertight lower-end closure on the tube 11.

The upper-end reinforcement 15 includes a pair of annular elements or rings 26 and 27, which may be substantially identical and are advantageously Ifabricated of suitable liquid-impervious, nonconductive plastic material. The annular elements 7:6 and 27 are further each substantially iden-tical to the annular side walls 22 and 2.4 of the cups 19 and 2.0, `for a purpose appearing presently.

In assembly, the annular elements 26 and 27 are respectively arranged interiorly and exteriorly of the tube 11 at the upper region thereof, so that the upper tubeend region 28 is interposed between the annular elements 26 and 27. That is, the annular elements 26 and 27 are each of a downwardly tapering or conical configuration so as to nest one within the other in the same manner as the cup side walls 22 and 24. The upper end region 28 of the tu-be 11 is preferably formed with a plurality of through apertures or holes 29 located between the nesting elements 26 and 27. The annular elements are each secured to the upper tube-end region 23 by suitable adhesive or plastic-welding means, and are preferably further secured to each other through the openings 29. In this condition, the annular elements 26 and 27 rmly sandwich therebetween the upper end-region 28 of the tube 11 to eectively reinforce the upper end of the tube. Also, a pair of apertured tabs or eyes 30 may be arranged in diametrically opposed relation each having one end securedly embedded between the annular elements 26 and 27, as shown in FIGURE 2. The tabs 30, thus securedly anchored, serve admirably Well for attachment to a handle, rope or bail.

The instant bucket or receptacle may be employed in the same manner as conventional linemens tool buckets. However, the present construction may be more easily cleaned, as by mere wiping with a damp cloth. This will also restore the high vvisibility imparted by luminescence of the tube 11. tFor increased visibility, the bottom wall 14 and upper-end reinforcement 15 may be of sharply contrasting color to that of the tube 11, say black.

When it is desired to store the receptacle or bucket 10, this can be accomplished at great savings in space, by nesting the upper-end reinforcement 15 within the cupped bottom Wall 14. That is, by flexibility of the tube 11, the latter may be collapsed Afor compact nesting of the reinforcement 15 within the sides of the bottom wall 14.

From the foregoing, it will now be understood that the present invention provides a receptacle construction and method of manufacture which fully accomplish their intended objects and are well-adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invent-ion has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A receptacle for tools and the like, comprising a tubular body of flexible sheet material having heat-sealable inner and outer surfaces and formed with apertures in the region adjacent to one end of said body, a pair of nesting cup elements of heat-sealable material extending across said one end of said tubular body and receiv-ing therebetween the apertured region of said tbody, said cup elements .being heat-sealed to respective surfaces of said body and being heat-sealed to each other through said apertures, and an annular reinforcement extending about the other end of said tubular body.

2. A receptacle according to claim 1, said annular reinforcement comprising a pair of nesting flared annular elements of heat-scalable material located respectively interiorly and exteriorly of said tubular body and heat-sealed to said tubular body, to rmly sandwich the latter between said annular elements.

3. A receptacle according to claim l, said reinforcement being liared to nest in said cup elements upon exure of said tubular body, to collapse said receptacle.

4. A receptacle according to claim 2, said other end region of said tubular body having openings for heatsealed securement therethrough of said annular elements to each other, to further strengthen said reinforcement.

5. A receptacle according to claim 2, in com-bination with a pair of spaced tabs sandwiched between said annular elements and extending outward therefrom for securing holding means to said receptacle.

6. A tool bucket comprising a tu-be of liquid-impervious, nonconductive exible sheet material having heat-sealable surfaces and formed with apertures adjacent to one end, and a pair of liquidimpervious, nonconductive cups of heat-sealable material arranged in nesting relation adjacent to and facing inward through one end of said tube, said one end of said tube extending between said cups circumferentially thereabout and being heat-sealed to said cups, said cups being heat-sealed to each other through said apertures, whereby said cups dene an end closure on said tube.

7. A tool bucket according to claim 6, in combination with a pair of liquid-impervious, nonconductive annular elements located respectively interiorly and exteriorly of said tube adjacent to the other end thereof, and secured to said tube, to firmly sandwich the latter between said annular elements.

8. A tool bucket according to claim 7, said annular elements and cups being iiared Ifor nesting of said annular elements in said nesting cups upon exure of said tubular body for collapsing said receptacle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,931,970 Thurston Oct. 24, 1933 2,083,138 Becker June 8, 1937 2,172,179 Rutledge Sept. 5, 1939 2,865,421 Walsh Dec. 23, 1958 

